High School

Thomaston's Olsen top area finisher at class meets BY RICK WILSON REPUBLICAN-AMERICAN

MANCHESTER — 1-4-2-2.

Those are Sabrina Olsen's finishes in her four Class S Cross Country Championships. The smile on Olsen's face in the brisk Saturday morning hours at Wickham Park was a career smile. Of course, it didn't hurt that it was her 17th birthday also.

"I'm happy, I ran well," said the two-time defending Berkshire League and three-time All-New England performer. "I started out strong and gave her a couple of chances to pass me and she didn't take it. Then at 1,000 meters she took off. She had a little more than me. She is a very good runner."

Olsen, who narrowly missed a second state title a year ago when teammate Cam Chaplen passed her in the last 50 yards, is anxiously looking forward to the State Open on Friday with hopes of qualifying for the New England Regionals earning All-New England honors for the fourth straight time.'

"I can't wait for next week," she said holding a sign wishing her a happy 17the birthday.

Thomaston finished third behind Immaculate and Bolton with sophomore Sammi Breier placing 14th and senior Becky Perugini, who has been struggling with a late season leg injury, coming in 16th.

Bears coach Mark Olsen would much rather have been in the winner's circle on both a team and individual level, a place the Bears are familiar with after championship seasons in 2010 and 2011. But, he was anything but disappointed.

"Sabrina ran well, Schulyer just ran a very good race and is a very good runner,' said Mark Olsen. "And our team ran well. It was a good day. "

The Berkshire League placed three runners in the top eight with Housatonic's Olivia LaFontan coming in seventh and Shepaug Valley's Clara Wolfe placing eighth.

The Pomperaug girls pulled off the best performance for an area team with a second place in the Class L race. The Panthers were led by Sara Tarascio who came in fourth and Erin Gibbons who place sixth.

The Pomperaug boys made it a doubly good day when they placed fourth in Class L led by Sam Depalma's ninth place finish. Naugatuck, led by Dan Schumacher's fifth place finish placed fifth in the race.

Watertown received outstanding efforts from Seamus Rafferty and Bryan Maloney, who finished fifth and sixth, respectively, to come in fifth in the Class MM race.

In the boys Class S race, coach Tom Scarola's Shepaug team posted a fine third-place finish with Thomaston's Luke McMahon the top league finisher in sixth place. The Bears placed fifth and Litchfield seventh.

Berkshire League boys champion Jackson Morrow of Lewis Mills was fourth in the Class M race, posting a time 17:02. The winner was Parker Timmerman of Brookfield in 16:27.

In the boys SS race, Terryville's Connor Levins placed fourth while Nonnewaug's Vince Pistritto came in sixth. One week after barely losing a stirring stretch run dual with Morrow for the BL title, Pistritto was still running well.

"I knew there would be a pack of six or seven runners in the race," said Pistritto. "I ran two seconds lower than (teammate) Jonah Riolo did last year when he won it and I finished seventh. It was a real competitive division."

Oxford and Woodland finished fourth and sixth, respectively, in the girls SS race with Oxford's Brianna Hofner coming in eighth.

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